1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a swivel assembly for connecting a conveyor boom section to a main conveyor section, and more particularly, to a conveyor swivel assembly for connecting the longitudinal main conveyor section of a mining machine with the conveyor boom section thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In transporting mined material rearwardly on a mining machine by a longitudinal conveyor, it is the conventional practice to pivotally connect a conveyor boom section to a main conveyor section for lateral swinging movement to control the discharge of the mined material from the conveyor. The conveyor boom section is pivotally connected to the main conveyor by a vertical pivot pin. The conveyor boom is operable by a piston cylinder assembly to swing laterally relative to the main conveyor and discharge the dislodged material into a conventional haulage vehicle for removal from the mine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,190,697 discloses a laterally swingable conveyor section for a continuous mining machine. Cutting elements of the mining machine dislodge the solid material from the mine face and a flexible flight conveyor extending rearwardly of the cutting elements transports the dislodged material to a conveyor boom section that is connected to the longitudinal main conveyor. The conveyor boom section is arranged to pivot relative to the main conveyor about a fixed vertical axis. In this manner, the conveyor boom section may be maintained in material transporting relationship with a conventional haulage vehicle as the mining machine is maneuvered through the mine.
A problem, however, is encountered with the above described apparatus in that the angle through which the boom conveyor may pivot is substantially limited. The angle through which the boom conveyor may pivot is limited by the dimensions of the swivel section that connects the boom conveyor to the main conveyor. An increase in the swinging angle of the boom conveyor requires a proportional increase in the dimensions of the swivel section. However, the dimensions of the swivel section between the two conveyors cannot be infinitely increased without encountering mechanical difficulties. Specifically, the size of the swivel connection between the two conveyors is limited by the extent to which the flexible side walls of the swivel section may be deformed to permit an enlarged swing of the boom conveyor relative to the main conveyor. Consequently, the extent to which the boom conveyor may be laterally swung relative to the main conveyor is limited by the swivel connection of the boom conveyor to the main conveyor and the geometry of the piston cylinder assembly and its attachments.
There is need for a swivel connection for pivotally connecting the conveyor boom section to the longitudinal main conveyor section of a continuous mining machine and for swinging the conveyor boom through a substantial pivotal angle without increasing the dimensions of the swivel section or requiring inelastic flexure of the flexible side walls of the conveyor or a cumbersome swing cylinder arrangement.